Alland & Robert, a manufacturer of acacia gum, plans to invest 11 million euros early next year to install a fourth production line at its plant in Saint Aubin sur Gaillon, Normandy. This will massively increase its production capacity by around 9,000 tons per year, while about 20,000 tons are currently processed each year. This 45 percent increase in production capacity responds to a sharply increasing global demand for acacia gum.

The expansion of Alland & Robert’s plant should start in 2021, covering an area of 8,000 m² which will double the plant surface. There will be a new global production unit in order to increase the company’s acacia gum production capacity. The new facility opening is scheduled for the end of 2022.

“This new investment comes on top of the € 3 million already invested in 2020 and 2021 to improve our existing production facilities,” said Frédéric Alland, president of Alland & Robert. “We are happy the COVID-19 crisis hasn’t slowed down our project: for 2020, we estimate our turnover should increase by approximately 8 percent. It was 45 million euros in 2019.”

This strong investment reflects the success of Alland & Robert, which is gaining markets around the world and is now exporting natural gums to more than 70 countries today. In addition, the acacia gum market is growing: this completely natural, vegetable and healthy ingredient is used in thousands of everyday products. Acacia gum responds to today’s consumer trends: it is an organic ingredient by nature whose harvest in Africa is carried out in an ethical and sustainable manner. Acacia gum is also very interesting for the formulation of vegetarian and vegan products which are prized by consumers today.